A woman with the pseudonym “Sidney Ackerman” and a Twitter handle of @RedRidnH00d used pictures of Internet adult entertainer C.J. Miles to lure professional athletes into conversations, according to NFL.com.

The Redskins learned that “Ackerman” was a female diehard Redskins fan, but that she never asked for money or benefits nor attempted to threaten or exploit players, according to the report. The NFL.com report is not clear on when or how the team learned the information, but the report did say that NFL security conducted a probe of the Ackerman situation.

In mid-December, Phillip Daniels, the team’s director of player development, warned players to stay away from @RedRidnH00d and to avoid her on Twitter, Instagram and any other social media platform. The team told the players she was not who she claimed to be.

“Once we found out the person wasn’t real, we went from there,” Daniels, a former Redskins defensive lineman, told NFL.com last week.

“Ackerman”’s Twitter account was taken down and her Facebook page deleted on Monday when it became clear that NFL.com planned to publish a story on the hoax, according to the website. “Ackerman” had more than 17,000 Twitter followers before the account was deleted.

“Ackerman” communicated with players through direct messages on Twitter and in some cases sent separate photos of Miles to players’ cell phones. Players tried unsuccessfully to arrange meetings with “Ackerman,” Daniels told NFL.com. Those failed attempts raised suspicions. Daniels said he then received information that “Ackerman” possibly was a fake.

The players never developed an emotional attachment to “Ackerman,” sources told NFL.com; rather, they pursued her out of physical attraction.

Daniels told NFL.com that he didn’t fault the players; instead, he found fault with “the people who are doing this crazy stuff, causing these problems.”

NFL.com found another unverified Twitter account, @RideAndDieChick, which also used a photo of Miles as its avatar. This account was being followed by 22 verified NFL players and six verified NBA players. The account was no longer active as of Tuesday.

These types of hoaxes, known as “catfishing,” gained greater publicity last week when Deadspin.com revealed that Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o’s dead girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, never existed. Te’o and Notre Dame have said that the linebacker was duped. Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, a male acquaintance of Te’o’s, is believed to have been behind the deception.